High strength, low density materials have been used in the manufacture of a special class of composites known as sandwich panels. In one exemplary construction, such panels can include a relatively low density core that is sandwiched between thin but stiff materials. The resulting panel can have a high bending stiffness but a relatively low weight that is useful in a variety of applications including e.g., marine, infrastructure, and transportation. Open and closed cell materials including balsa wood or foams created from e.g., polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, or polyethylene can be used for the lower density core. Glass or carbon fiber reinforcement fabrics can be used for the outer layer(s) of thin materials. Various adhesives may be used to combine these materials into the desired composite panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,048, incorporated herein by reference, describes exemplary embodiments of a composite in the form of a fiber reinforced core panel constructed with strips. For example, in one of its exemplary embodiments, U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,048 provides a panel constructed from a plurality of low density, elongated strips having a reinforcement sheet that is wrapped around, and positioned between, the elongated strips. The relatively thin intermediate structure provided by the reinforcement sheet and elongated strips can be further provided with layers or skins of material on one or both sides to provide e.g., additional stability or strength. Various shapes for the strips may be applied as well as variations in the reinforcement and skins.
The manufacture of a composite such as e.g., the panel described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,048 can be time consuming and labor intensive. The positioning of multiple strips within various layers can require repeated transport and handling of each in order to provide the desired orientation of the strips for the resulting panel. Additional complexity is created by the use of multiple layers for the reinforcement sheet and/or the skins and the use of e.g., adhesives to combine these elements of the panel.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method, apparatus, or both that can be used to manufacture a composite panel or an intermediate that may be used in the manufacture of such a composite panel. More particularly, a system for combining multiple strips with one or more flexible materials (such as reinforcement layers and/or adhesive layers) wrapped around the strips would be very useful. Such a system that can also be used to adhere the strips together with the flexible materials would also be beneficial. Additional utility would be provided where such system also allows for one or more layers to be provided to the outside of the combined strips.